Musical toy



M. SlVlTZ MUSICAL TOY May 2, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Flled April 22, 1949 INVENTOR.

WM fl y, I 1149 5 M. SIVITZ MUSICAL TOY May 2, 1950 Flied April 22,- 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

find- V M aKA Patented May 2, 1950 MUSICAL TOY Moses Sivitz, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to Bromo- Mint Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application April 22, 1949, Serial No. 89,091

9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to musical toys and is particularly concerned with a device for children which is adapted to play selected tunes by a combined blowing and cranking operation. The device is of neat and compact appearance and can be readily carried around and manipulated, even by a small child.

It is appreciated that there have heretofore been devised instruments having somewhat the same general mechanical organization. The improvements to which this application is directed are more in the nature of refinements adapted to improve the ease of operation, the compactness of structure and portability of the device than basic improvements in the elements themselves.

Briefly stated, the invention contemplates a simple hand device including a shepherds pipe for producing the various notes on the scale, a mouthpiece for blowing into the pipe, a record or disc positioned between the shepherds pipe and mouthpiece and adapted to open and close the various tubes in the pipe selectively to produce a desired tune and means for rotating the disc by hand. The entire device may be constructed to comprise only a small number of parts and it can be made light in weight and of attractive external appearance.

Referring now to the drawings which form a part of the application and which illustrate a preferred embodiment of a device embodying the present improvements.

' Figure 1 is a top plan View of the entire device in operative position.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same structure shown in Figure 1.

Figures 3 and 4 are end views taken from the respective ends of the device and with the record or disc shown fragmentarily.

Figure 5 is a bottom view of the device with the disc removed.

Figure 6 is a rear elevation with portions of certain of the elements shown fragmentarily.

Figure '7 is an enlarged sectional view similar to Figure 2.

Figure 3 is a sectional view along the line 8-8, Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a top plan view of the lower portion of the device partially broken away to illustrate the cranking mechanism.

As indicated in the drawings, the device comprises really only three principal elements: the mouthpiece portion which is designated generally by Hi; the shepherds pipe portion designated generally by l l on which the cranking mechanism is mounted; and the record or disc l2. These 2 three elements are constructed for ready assembly and disassembly when it is desired to insert a new disc in the device.

The mouthpiece portion, designated generally as It, includes at its lower end a shell 13 delineating an air chamber M having an upwardly projecting nipple I5 defining a passageway l6 leading therefrom. This passageway is preferably positioned more or less centrally of the air chamber. Secured to the end of the nipple I5 is a flexible tube ll, preferably constructed of rubber, and engaged at its upper end around a depending extension l8 of a mouthpiece 19. The flexibility of the tube l'i enables a child to blow into the device from various positions while carrying it around and provides a safety feature in the event that a child fall while running with the instrument in his mouth.

The shell I 3, exterior of the air chamber, at one end is configurated into a flat surface 2?} having ears designated by 2i extending laterally from the sides thereof. The other end of the base is forked as at 22 with a slightly enlarged arcuate portion 23 provided interior of the tines of the fork for snap locking the entire mouthpiece assembly to the shepherds pipe portion l! in position around the shank of a headed pin 24.

The shepherds pipe portion, designated generally I I, comprises a plurality of tuned tubes of different lengths. In reality, the pipe portion is initially formed in two parts. The line defining the division is shown at A-A in Figure 9. In the preferred embodiment, the toy is formed from plastic, however, and when the two parts are assembled a plastic solvent adhesive is used which eiiectively fuses the two parts into a unitary body. For this reason, the division line between the parts is not shown on any of the other figures in the drawings. The upper surface of the shepherds pipe portion is flattened as at 25 to coincide with the lower surface of the mouthpiece portion and there are crescent shaped openings 26 to each of the tubes formed in this flattened surface. This is particularly illustrated in Figure 9. In addition, the tubes have side openings, designated 21 and best shown in Figure 2, for the discharge of air blown into the tubes through the openings 26.

At one of the ends of the fiat upper surface 25 of the shepherds pipe portion is a pair of upwardly projecting brackets 28 for holding the flattened end 2 of the mouthpiece portion to the upper surface of the shepherds pipe portion.

The construction of these brackets and the en- 7 gagement with them of the ear extension 2| of the surface 2|] is clearly illustrated in Figure 4, the brackets simply embracing the edges of the ears. At the other end of the upper surface of the shepherds pipe portion, the headed pin 2:; is inserted into a gear box 29 formed at this end of the device for housing the gearing of the cranking mechanism. An indexing element 3i] of rectangular configuration is journalled on the pin 24 and performs the function of keying the pin 24 to the record or disc l2 which, as illustrated in Figure 1, has a central cut out portion 50 of the same configuration as the indexing element 30.

Also journalled on the pin 24 and positioned within the box 29 is a pinion gear 31 which is adapted to mesh with a worm gear 32 fixed on the end of the shaft 33. This shaft 33 is mounted in bracket 34 extending laterally from the shepherds pipe and positioned directly beneath the fiat upper surface 25. A boss 35 on the shaft assists in maintaining it in position in conjunction with an end cap 36 in which the shaft is journalled. The cap is fitted into a journal opening 31 in the wall of the gear box. The outside diameter of the cap is such that it turns freely in the opening 31, but the inside diameter of the counter-bore in which the end of shaft 33 fits is such that a tight, non-slip fit is provided between cap and shaft. A handle 38 preferably having an enlarged finger portion 39 is configurated at the end of the shaft as is best illustrated in Figures 2 and 9.

In the initial assembly of the toy, the gear 3! is placed in one of the halves of the gear box 29 (since the pipe portion is at this time in two parts defined by the line A-A) and the two parts then fixed together by plastic solvent adhesive. It will be noted that the gear includes a hub portion at which provides the upper and lower shoulders M and 42 respectively, these shoulders engaging against the respective upper and lower walls of the box 29 to retain the gear in position. The hub til at the lower side of the gear has an axial stub shaft is which extends through a journal opening 4 3 in the lower wall of the gear box. A slightly larger axial stub shaft 45 extends upwardly from the upper shoulder and through a journal opening it in the upper wall of the gear box. The shaft 45 is counter-bored as 41 to receive the lower end of the headed pin 24. The pin may be held in the counter-bore by a tight fit between the parts or a drop of solvent may be used.

In the operation of the device, a record or disc l2, which has cut in it a plurality of sound apertures 58 arranged to play some particular tune, is positioned on the fiat upper surface 25 of the shepherds pipe portion H with the rectangular central cut out portion 58 engaged with the indexing element 38. In this position, the disc will rest fiatly on the upper surface of'the shepherds pipe portion approximately as shown in Figure 2. The end 253 of the mouthpiece portion If} is then inserted between the brackets 2'5 (from the left as shown in Figure 1) until the extending ears 2! engage with these brackets in frictional engagcment and the fork 22 snaps around the shank of the headed pin 24. The elements are then engaged for operating. It will be noted, Figure 4, that the end 29 of the mouthpiece portion carries a pair of teats tl-Ei. These teats extend below the end 28 a distance equal to the thickness of the record disc I2 and, when the mouthpiece is in the locked position, they rest on the fiat upper surface of the pipe portion between the brackets 4 2828. The teats thus space the mouthpiece so as to not bind the record.

To play the instrument, the child blows into the mouthpiece i9 and simultaneously cranks the shaft 33 from the handle 38. Since the record preferably has noted on it stops and other playing indicia, a certain degree of skill can be acquired in the playing.

It will be noted that as air is blown through the mouthpiece it, a slight pressure is built up in the chamber I l, thereby providing a smoother playing operation. As the disc rotates, the tubes in the shepherds pipe are selectively opened and closed as the disc apertures pass across the openings 26 and the desired notes are thereby produced.

The entire device is preferably constructed from plastic of contrasting colors to provide a pleasing visual effect. As previously stated, there are really only three principal elements and very few individual parts. A high degree of compactness has been obtained by positioning the shaft and crank in close proximity to the shepherds pipe and to the mouthpiece. As a result, even a small child can operate the device and can readily carry it around from place to place.

The construction that has been provided for securing the mouthpiece portion to the shepherds pipe portion is particularly effective because while it is simple enough for a child to operate, the degree of attachment attained is secure enough to maintain the elements in position during operation. Likewise, the integrality of the structure has proven very advantageous because there are no small parts to be lost or mislaid.

Having fully described my invention, I claim:

1. A musical toy for children comprising, a shepherds pipe having a substantially flat upper surface and openings therein leading to the tubes of the pipe, an indexing element positioned on said surface for engaging with and supporting a record having note apertures selectively formed therethrough, a mouthpiece element having a lower surface adapted to cooperate with the upper surface of the shepherds pipe to confine a record therebetween, the ends of said lower surface being configurated for attachment to the shepherds pipe, and means for rotating the indexing element and its supported record to pass the record apertures across the openings in the upper surface of the shepherds pipe, said means including a shaft journalled in the shepherds pipe and gearing disposed in a box in said pipe.

2. A childs musical toy comprising, a shepherds pipe having opening in the upper surface thereof leading to the tubes of the pipe, an indexing element journalled in said upper surface for supporting a record having a plurality of apertures selectively formed therethrough, a mouthpiece element including a flexible tube and a shell interconnected to said tube, the lower surface of said shell being configurated complementary to the upper surface of the shepherds pipe for confining a rotatable record between said surfaces, one of the ends of the shell being forked for engagement with the indexing element to secure the mouthpiece to the shepherds pipe, and means for rotating the indexing element and its supported record whereby the openings in the shepherds pipe are selectively opened and closed to air blown through the mouthpiece.

3. A musical toy comprising, a shepherds pipe comprising a plurality of tubes meeting in a flat surface, said surface having a plurality of openings formed therein leading to the tubes of the pipe, a shell defining an air chamber adapted to rotatably confine a record having apertures selectively formed therethrough between the shell and the shepherds pipe, a mouthpiece interconnected to the air chamber, indexing means mounted on the shepherds pipe for supporting the record, and means also mounted on the shepherds pipe for rotating the indexing means to pass the record across the openings in the shepherds pipe whereby the apertures selectively open air passageways to said openings thereby providing a musical melody.

l. A musical toy comprising a plurality of airflow responsive sound-creating tubes, each of said tubes having an opening for the admission of air therein, a disk record having a plurality of radial apertures arranged in a predetermined tune pattern, means for supplying a flow of air to said openings, means for mounting said disk record between said air supply means and said tube openings and means for rotating said disk to cause said disk apertures to selectively intercept and open passageways between the tube openings and the air supply means to provide a musical melody, said disk projecting beyond the contour of all of said means and said tubes in an exposed position to permit visual observation of said record during rotation thereof.

5. A musical toy comprising a plurality of airflow responsive, sound-creating tubes, each of said tubes having an opening for the admission of air therein, all of said openings being aligned, means for rotatably mounting a disk record having a plurality of apertures which upon rotation of said disk are adapted to selectively uncover said openings to a flow of air, thereby providing a musical melody, said mounting means having an axis of rotation in alignment with said aligned openings, means for directing a flow of air toward said openings and means for rotating said mounting means, said disk record extending laterally from said mounting means and projecting beyond the contour of said air directing means and said tubes in a position exposed to visual observation.

5. A musical toy adapted to play a disk record of the type having a plurality of radial apertures arranged in a predetermined tune pattern comprising; a plurality of air-flow responsive, sound-creating tubes, each of said tubes having an opening for the admission of air therein, means for supplying a flow of air to said openings, means for mounting a disk record between said air supply means and said tube openings and means for rotating a disk so mounted to cause said record apertures to selectively intercept and open passageways between the tube openings and the air supply means to provide a musical melody, said tubes and all of said means being dimensioned and contoured so that a disk record so mounted projects beyond the cross-sectional contour of all of said means and said tubes in a position exposed to visual observation.

7. A musical toy adapted to play a disk record of the type having a plurality of radial apertures arranged in a predetermined tune pattern comprising; a set of air-flow responsive, sound-creating tubes, said tubes being connected together and aligned in side by side relationship to form a shepherds pipe, each of said tubes having an endwise opening for the admission of air therein, an air chamber of elongated substantially rectangular cross section and dimensioned to cover said tube openings Without projecting substantially beyond the cross-sectional contour of said shepherds pipe and in communication with said tubes, means for supplying a flow of air to said chamber and means for rotatably mounting a disk record to extend radially between said chamber and tube openings and to project laterally beyond the cross-sectional contours of said shepherds pipe and said air chamber in a position exposed to visual observation whereby upon rotation of said record said apertures selectively uncover said tube openings to a flow of air and thereby provide a musical melody.

8. A hand musical toy comprising; a shepherds pipe, said shepherds pipe comprising a plurality of aligned air-flow responsive, soundcreating tubes, each of said tubes having an opening for the introduction of air therein, said openings being aligned, means for rotatably mounting a disk record having a plurality of apertures which upon rotation of said disk are adapted to selectively uncover said openings to a flow of air thereby providing a musical melody, means for rotating said record mounting means and means for directing a flow of air toward said openings, all of said means being mounted on said shepherds pipe and supported thereby.

9. A musical toy comprising; a shepherds pipe comprising; a plurality of air-flow responsive, sound-creating tubes, said pipe having a fiat surface and a plurality of aligned air admission openings formed in said flat surface, said openings respectively providing air communication with said tubes, an indexing element carried by said pipe and constructed and arranged to mount a disk record having a plurality of apertures for rotation across said fiat surface whereby said apertures selectively uncover said openings and expose said openings to a flow of air, an air chamber constituting means for directing air toward said openings, said air chamber including a fork at one end thereof adapted to detachably interlock with said indexing element to hold a disk record thereon, and a projection at the other end thereof, said shepherds pipe having a bracket adapted to interlock with said projection to hold said chamber detachably secured to said pipe.

MOSES SIVITZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 359,279 Parr Mar 15, 1887 400,123 Schoenner Mar. 26, 1889 777,370 I-Iibshman Feb. 13, 1904 1,720,991 Banks July 16, 1929 1,791,903 Prince Feb. 10, 1931 1,865,522 Jackson July 5, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 15,144 Great Britain July 8, 1903 

